Dose a face make a difference?
This work addresses an important question: does peoples’ appearance affect the value of their accomplishments? Or our perception of their appearance that makes this difference?
To challenge the viewer’s perception, the sculpture is presented in a rather contemporary form. However, adding the veil to the female figure makes it hard to escape the uncanny feeling which prevents us from seeing beyond the stereotypes. The viewer soon discovers that there are 64 smiling faces of young girls under each brick through its reflection in the mirror at the bottom of the clear acrylic base.* Which increases this feeling of uncertainty about the reality of things around us.
The work was inspired by a classical Arabic poem called: (Beauty in the Black Veilقل للمليحة في الخمار الأسود ). The poem, which was written in the eighth century, tells the tale of a man who fell in love with a beautiful woman who wears a black cloak. Before this poem, Muslim women used to wear their cloaks in different colours. However, this poem became popular and made all women wish to be that lady, so they all started to wear a black cloak instead. Elgibreen, the artist, wonders how this poetic symbolic concept of beauty attached to the black cloak in old Arabic culture has changed. Taking the viewer in an experience that instigates his judgment only to, only seconds later, challenge his inherent ways of perception which are no longer suitable for our present world.
The images of the young girls used in this sculpture are barrowed from 64 accomplished conservative Saudi women who wanted to object against any materialistic outlook that may undermine their professional accomplishments if they hold on to their cultural significance.
To challenge the viewer’s perception, the sculpture is presented in a rather contemporary form. However, adding the veil to the female figure makes it hard to escape the uncanny feeling which prevents us from seeing beyond the stereotypes. The viewer soon discovers that there are 64 smiling faces of young girls under each brick through its reflection in the mirror at the bottom of the clear acrylic base.* Which increases this feeling of uncertainty about the reality of things around us.
The work was inspired by a classical Arabic poem called: (Beauty in the Black Veilقل للمليحة في الخمار الأسود ). The poem, which was written in the eighth century, tells the tale of a man who fell in love with a beautiful woman who wears a black cloak. Before this poem, Muslim women used to wear their cloaks in different colours. However, this poem became popular and made all women wish to be that lady, so they all started to wear a black cloak instead. Elgibreen, the artist, wonders how this poetic symbolic concept of beauty attached to the black cloak in old Arabic culture has changed. Taking the viewer in an experience that instigates his judgment only to, only seconds later, challenge his inherent ways of perception which are no longer suitable for our present world.
The images of the young girls used in this sculpture are barrowed from 64 accomplished conservative Saudi women who wanted to object against any materialistic outlook that may undermine their professional accomplishments if they hold on to their cultural significance.